Possibility to exclude scripts for speed tests

This appears to be following the accusations by Gijo Varghese on Twitter. This video is helpful to understand the situation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Nb2ddy97qY. The advanced setting Gijo (mis)used is actually a helpful feature to find out whether the essential js/css files are actually slowing down the web page or not. Anyone using it for speed testing sites like GTMetrix would be knowingly self-deceiving.

Hi @joemilesudp

thank you for clarifying the situation.
Actually, for me the situation was already clear, and as you explain in the video.
Before leaving this review I checked the code of the plugin, and I’ve already seen what was mentioned by Gijo wasn’t the default.
In fact, in my review I wrote “WP Optimize gives the possibility to exclude scripts only for speed tests”.

However, even though the exclusion of the scripts is not by default, if you give the possibility to the users to do that without touching the code, you are promoting cheating.
This is my personal opinion. For me, you should not give the possibility to exclude scripts for speed tests. If you do it, you are promoting cheating.

If the authors remove this feature, I will be very happy to remove my review.

I don’t see any advantage with this feature, only a possibility to cheat.

I totally agree that Gijo had to specify that this isn’t the default, and I also don’t like how he wrote that post, but this feature is there, and this is indisputable.
Probably you think that because you need to manually add the scripts it’s not cheating, this is your opinion. For me, it’s a promotion to cheating.

@giuse I can only honestly tell you that the idea that we want, or ever wanted, people to use that feature for cheating, never crossed my mind. And our competitor is the first person, as far as I know, who has ever suggested that. It’s a dishonourable and insulting allegation which we reject. If I sell you a hammer, I am not secretly hoping that you will use it to hit people, honestly. Please would you consider changing your review?

Hi @davidanderson

Your plugin offers the possibility to cheat. Someone will use it and others will not use it.
If you want to be sure nobody uses it, remove that feature.

I can only honestly tell you that the idea that we want, or ever wanted, people, to use that feature for cheating, never crossed my mind

What’s your idea? What’s the real advantage of this feature?

I would put the advantages and disadvantages on the balance and decide if to keep or remove this feature.
If you keep it, maybe you should explain better the advantages for honest users who want to really optimize a website. I don’t see any advantage.
For cheaters, I see a big advantage.

I will be happy to change my review if you clearly demonstrate what this feature can do for an honest user, or if you remove it.

I hope you don’t say that it’s to understand the contribution that a single script gives to the score. I think you already have the insights given by the speed tool for that.
But if you really want to do that you can exclude the scripts only after adding a query parameter to the URL (e.g. ?exclude-scripts=1).
So, if you test https://sample-site.com/?exclude-scripts=! you can test the page without the specified scripts, but when a normal user doesn’t add ?exclude-scripts=1 to the URL and tests the website with GTMetrix or Google Page Speed Insights or whatever tool, then no script will be excluded.

If a cheater gives the URL https://sample-site.com/?exclude-scripts=! to their client to show a good result, then they see the parameter and probably understand it’s not the normal behavior of the page.
The URL parameter for me should have a slug that makes clear what you are doing.

Do you think you could add a parameter to the URL to do the test excluding scripts? For me this would be the best solution if you really want to keep this feature.

As a total beginner looking too choose cache plugin this was a bit concerning. However I must say, reading WP-optimize answer, it seems they are honest about mentioning flying press and also writing straight forward about the claims. For me it seems they have nothing too hide. However perhaps some solution too this would be best – even if its a non issue IRL. A bit like “dont spill your coffee” lable… however stupid it might sound ???♂?

I will however trust the extremely good reviews and buy the pro package and see if it can help my website. I just hope I wont cheat myself in the process ????

Also I even think flying press/Gijos attempts to smear WP-Opt is quite a good review in it self. Ofc you attack the best player in the game. So with this logic it for me seems WP-Opt is one of the best. Also because all the affiliate blogs on wordpress speed usually dont include WP-Opt… this for me is a indicator its perhaps a good plugin and cost ratio.

@flamuren this is not an attack. It’s a way to tell the authors of WPPOptmize that I don’t like that feature. I’ve also proposed a solution to keep the feature but without cheating the score.
And this is about their plugin. Other plugins have nothing to do with this review.

I also think WPOptimize would be an amazing plugin without that feature.